“Son of None” is a short docudrama about Joshua, a seven year old Liberian war orphan who is constantly disheveled, falling behind and failing at school.  When the orphanage’s goat goes missing, Joshua shirks relationships and responsibilities to reveal where his priorities lie.

Read more about “Son of None” here:  http://www.obrigadoproductions.com/SON_OF_NONE.html

This final video – Onward: Part 6 – is an inspiring and deeply moving look at the way that Liberia Mission truly saves and transforms lives – now and in the future.  We reconnect with Handful, Serliae, Benjamin and Marcus and see how they continue to work hard to succeed in school and improve conditions in Liberia.  We also learn about the connection between the U.S. and Liberia, and we see the inspiring potential for growth and continued success of a mission that was called by Msgr. Karnley of Liberia, “… the greatest thing to happen to Liberia since the end of the second civil war in 2003 … We are a blessed country because of this mission.”  Click on the picture above to watch and learn more!  Inspired to donate or sponsor a child?  Just $1 a day can truly change a life.  Learn more at:  www.missionhonduras.com   Thanks!

A Tragedy: Part 5 tells the story of ten-year-old Elijah Koko. The story illustrates how precious and fragile life is in Liberia. It also illustrates the great need for public health and health education in Liberia, a need that Liberia Mission, Inc. will be addressing very soon.  In May, an American doctor will take up residence at Liberia  Mission.  He will look after the health needs of the children and provide education and care for those in the surrounding villages.

Elijah’s Story:  Elijah had been slightly ill for a few days, but this morning was joking with his mother as he was getting ready for school in his family’s small, mud-brick house directly across the street from Liberia Mission. She told him that she was taking him to the doctor after school. His mother walked outside for a moment and when she came back, she found Elijah unconscious. The family flagged down a cab and rushed him to the Doctors Without Borders Hospital. Elijah regained consciousness on the ride telling his mother and uncle that he was going to die. When they arrived at the hospital, Elijah asked for his father who was on his way. When his father came to the hospital, Elijah told them all that now he could die. And tragically that is what happened. The family returned to the village and would have to go to pick up Elijah’s body for immediate burial as soon as the body was prepared. Jerome Cabeen, Liberia Mission Director and Elijah’s former teacher, agreed to help the family with all logistics and transportation. This tragic part of the the web-series follows the family’s ordeal as they pick up their son at the hospital, host a visitation in the village and bury him at his father’s family plot.

This story illustrates not only how precious and fragile life is in Liberia, but how Liberia Mission is making a difference and how the addition of a doctor on site will help the whole community. Click on the picture above to watch and learn more.

Homecoming: Part 4 tells the story of Marcus Gborman and his family.  Marcus, one of the Mission’s newer students and a consummate entertainer, is having a hard time adjusting to the structure of the mission and school.  His father, Eric, makes coal to sell and farms for a meager living.  It is Eric’s greatest dream for Marcus to receive a good education, an opportunity he never had.  In “Homecoming,” we follow Marcus as he visits his parents and learns what education means to his – and his family’s – future.  Marcus’ story illustrates just how rare and valuable education is in Liberia as it recovers, rebuilds, and looks to a better future for the next generation. Click on the picture below to watch and learn more!

A Woman’s Place: Part 3 tells the story of Serliae Johnson.  Like Handful, Serliae was one of the first students to be taken in by Liberia Mission, Inc. after suffering the loss of her parents.  Serliae has a love for singing and dreams of becoming a doctor one day.  She was also recently elected vice-president of St. Anthony of Padua School – the first female elected to that position.  Serliae also talks about her love for “Momma” Helena Gonyon, a House Mother at Liberia Mission who always dreamed that she would have the opportunity to help Liberia’s war-orphaned children.  Serliae’s story helps explore the unique opportunities women have in Liberian society – especially women with a first-rate education – following the lead of their President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf – the first woman President in Africa.  Click on the picture below to watch and learn more!

Serving: Part 2 of 6 tells the story of Benjamin Wollor who was never able to attend school prior to turning eleven because of Liberia’s brutal, 14-year civil war.  He also tragically lost his older brother during the war, a fate he escaped by inches.  Ten years later, Benjamin was elected the President of his high school.  His mother, not having seen him in years, traveled 3 days by boat to see his installation as President.  She addressed the school about her son and the future of Liberia – a speech which nearly brought down the house.  Benjamin lives at Liberia Mission and is a “big brother” to the younger children.  His main goal in life is to become a Franciscan missionary priest, inspired by St. Francis to give up all he has to “serve the poor.”

Seeds: Part 1 of 6 features Handful Kollie.  Handful was found hungry, homeless, and with little clothing in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in 2003.  He lost his parents in the war, and he was the first child taken in by Liberia Mission. Nearly seven years later, he is in the 8th grade and is determined to become an agriculturalist, so that Liberians will never again have to suffer the hunger he had as a child. He is also a respected leader at the Mission, where many of the younger children follow his lead, bearing dreams that focus on re-building their country.  Click to watch and learn more!

Watch the new trailer for the Obrigado produced web-series, “Children of Hope: The Liberia Mission Story.”  We’ll be releasing this six-part documentary series over the next six weeks. The doc tells the story of Liberia Mission, Inc. through some of its most remarkable children and explores the history of Liberia, its unique ties to the US and its drive to rebuild.

Watch the Trailer here! www.liberiamission.com/video.html

We just returned from Liberia, Africa carrying over 40 hours of some of the most moving footage we’ve had the privilege to shoot.  From this footage we hope to make a series of documentary shorts and one narrative short.

We witnessed the heartbreaking, sudden death of ten year-old Elijah Koko which provided a troubling glimpse into the fragility of life in Liberia.

We followed the remarkable stories of Serlieah Johnson and “Handful” Kollie, two of Liberia Mission’s first students.  Both had lost parents in Liberia’s brutal 14-year Civil War and were found hungry, homeless and with little clothing in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp.  Six years later they are among the best and most hard-working students at the Mission, and their futures appear very bright.

Because of the war, Benjamin Wollor was never able to attend school prior to turning thirteen, an age when most Americans graduate 8th grade.  Eleven years later, Benjamin was elected the President of his high school.  His mother, not having seen him in years, traveled 3 days by boat to see his installation as President.  We were lucky enough to witness her addressing the school about her son and the future of Liberia – a speech which nearly brought down the house.

Finally, one of the Mission’s youngest boys, Joshua Cooper, has a face and demeanor that begged to be filmed.  He also proved to be a natural actor.  Our collaboration resulted in an experimental narrative short which aims to provide a glimpse into the precarious life of one of Liberia’s (and, therefore, the world’s) most vulnerable human beings.  Though in great need of help himself, he shows remarkable compassion for those with even less.

For more information on the sponsoring organization, please visit the Liberia Mission website (operated by Mission Honduras International).  You can sponsor a child – including their housing, food and education – for as little as $1 / day.  You can also become a fan of Liberia Mission on Facebook.

Please check out this special video below featuring the Liberia Mission male chorus and the children of Liberia Mission, Inc.  In this very special – first-ever of its kind – video of Liberia Mission, you will experience – in less than 6 minutes – scenes from Liberia, the Mission, and meet the children, some of our emerging leaders.

Since we have racked up numerous thoughts and ruminations since returning, we will split this final issue up into two installments.  The second of which will be posted next week.

This edition will focus on the theme of Home and Homecoming.  Next week’s issue will include the latest article in the “En Carne Vida” Series as well as an article on the “culture shock” we experienced when first coming back to the US.

Make sure you check out the slideshow re-cap of the trip on the photos page.  And take a few minutes to read this week’s articles:

What is Home?

by Todd Looby

Head-laying Location #6

Personally, I have never been one to set up a stable home base, in the past 10 years I have lived in eight locations in Chicago alone.   Not that I had anything against stability per se, it just wasn’t high on my priority list.  The past year, however, has probably forever changed that notion.   It has been almost a year to the day that we first touched foot in Honduras.  In that year’s time, we have slept in 46 different beds, and moved a total of 63 times (sometimes back to the same bed)….  (more)

Back Home

by Todd Looby

Home Pride

At 35,000 ft, Honduras looks like any beautiful Southwestern state of the US.  Sparsely populated mountain forests surround little, non-channelized streams.  Dirt roads lead up to small villages or solitary domiciles.  The low hum of the jet and serene sweeping of the clouds created the atmosphere of peace, the first moment of which we felt in the past couple of days.  Looking at the landscape once more before nodding off, I imagined being over the high desert of Eastern Washington, our final destination in 24 hours.  That’s precisely when it hit me:  We were entering into an entirely different and foreign realm of existence…. (more)